Character conversations: Maggie

Won't be as depressing as Tanner's, I promise. My questions and notes in italics.


How did I let you get away with not telling me much about where you’re from?

Was just a pit stop on a tiny moon. A kilometer across. Jupiter’s got dozens of them flying around looking for stable orbits.

So these one-kay rocks would be a risky place to set up, then.

Yes, but on the other hand it only takes one hauler to nudge it if you need to. Had to do that, once. Holly said we were on course to tap another one-kay and fall into Jupiter, so Pa and Uncle contracted with Josh. (Josh, the captain of Himalia Express caravan who was later part of Glenna’s uprising) Himalia Star put her nose on our rock and pushed for twelve hours. Which is just a little nudge, as these things go, but that was all we needed.

Pit stop, explain that.

My Ma, my Pa, Pa’s brother and his woman and a few friends all pitched in and carved a little homestead out of a one-kay. Most ‘steads base their business on mining or farming and things associated with that. Our goal was to be a nice place to stop. We did some mining and farming, sure, but mining out a one-kay rock’s a dead-end plan.

We served good food, good drink, and good entertainment. We were good company. Could clean your ventilation ducts and re-seed your recycler while you steamed in our sauna and cooled down with our orange sherbert. Even the hard-core Long Runners like that.

You said you did Shakespeare in your little vaudeville show. How much?

Did scenes, not whole plays, and did adaptations, not the old-timey language nobody would get. But fun stuff. People liked our take on Romeo’s swordfight with Tybalt. Neal would be Mercutio.

Not Romeo?

No, Antonio would be Romeo. Better at the swordfighting — which is hilarious in zero gee, of course.

What roles did you take?

Did all the kid roles until I started to… grow in. (adjusts corset) Glenna’d been doing all the pretty-girl roles and Pa dragged his feet about letting me try some of them.

Guess it’s tough to send your little girl on stage with her boobs strategically overflowing.

Wasn’t a problem with Glenna, though. (eyeroll) Big sis got to do everything, I was just the kid. Wished we hadn’t been so many years apart, sometimes. (Glenna was five years older.) Was great when I was littler, but then the hormones kicked in and I was completely outgunned by her. Did a lot of crying in my bunk because I thought nobody ever looked at me and saw anything but a consolation prize.

Wished she was there after she was gone, though. Plenty of times.

Those years on your own were tough, and you haven’t talked about them. But then you met Val.

Nothing worth talking about until I met Val. Magic, how bumping into somebody can turn you around. Imagine if I hadn’t. (smiles)